Of Reality and Fantasy
by ElegantIllusionist
Summary: AU. Gilbert's friend introduces him to his invention that is a major break-through for computer technology. A game that seems so real, where it feels as if you're living in it. Gilbert finds himself meeting one of the game's characters through, and can't seem to shake off his curious attraction towards the other. It is just a game though. Right? PruAus. Ongoing. Rating may go up.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there! This is a fanfiction I've been wanting to write for a long time, and hope you enjoy it! Leave me reviews if you want me to continue it or not!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, I am just responsible for the plot line and the turn of events that is to aspire.**

"So, Matthew," the man on the other line of the phone drummed his fingers idly against the wooden desk, humming a "hmm" in reply. "Enlighten me. What exactly is this 'profound, genius invention' thing you called me at two in the morning for?"

"I had the calculations and formulated computer programming written out for months," a faint voice responded, his words running together in a hasty excitement. "I made a major breakthrough in technological gaming, Gilbert! This may be a once in a lifetime thing!"

"What the actual fuck are you going on about?" Gilbert groaned out, a hand snaking out from the covers of his bed and hitting the lamp. "Listen, you have two minutes to grab my attention before I hang up."

"To put it simply, I may have developed a sort of video game in which the player enters another reality, and is able to toggle the senses and make it seem as if you are there for real! I can't explain the depth of it over the phone, so I need you to be here as soon as you can. I have almost finished the gaming scripts, and need someone to test it!"

"... Gilbert? Are you there?"

"I know you're a computer wiz, birdie, but I didn't expect you to do this," Gilbert mused, and flopped onto his back, yawning. "I'll catch a flight tomorrow. I have nothing else to do anyways."

"Really? Great! I'll have the nooks and crannys of the machine all sorted before you get here!"

"... Hm, yeah. Can't wait. Later." Gilbert hung up the phone, exhaling a sigh. Matthew must have been pulling his leg, because it seemed unreal that someone could grasp enough knowledge to make such a thing. But, since he doubted his friend would drag him there as a joke, he decided to go along with it, anticipating for him to show up and find that the machine was a bust or something.

The next day, Gilbert had arranged a flight to Torronto, giving his brother Ludwig a short snip-it of his friend's late night discovery.

"How can someone have enough time and knowledge to make that?" his brother skeptically announced his doubt, eyeing his brother as he threw a backpack of his shoulder.

"I don't know. He called me last night freaking out over it and I doubt he would make it up so, ja, I trust Mattie's word," he explained, although he himself remained a bit skeptic of it all. Matthew was a computer major, and devoted his time to it. So maybe it was possible. "I'll be back on Saturday. Kesesese~ Don't miss me too much, Luddy!"

- x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x -x - x

"Mattie, you home?" Gilbert called out after knocking on the door four times, finger repeatedly pushing against the doorbell. "Hellooo~?"

Abruptly, the door opened, and a stumbling boy beckoned the other in hastily. "Gilbert, Gilbert! I just got done rewiring the circuit, and dusting off the equipment. Come in!" The albino waltzed in, hands shoving in his pockets. Upon closer inspection of the home, one would honestly be astounded that such a youthful male would posess such a wide variety of computers and wires. But of all else, you could hardly miss the chair placed in the middle of the living room, with wires and buttons on it.

"Is that supposed to be an electric chair?" Gilbert inquired anxiously, but Mattie shrugged it off with a chuckle. "That is where you're going to sit, and that helmet there with the screen shows you the visual sense of the alternate reality. I've designed it so that those wires send signals to your senses and make it seem as if you are moving. It tricks your brain into thinking you are actually there. Cool, right?" Gilbert stood awe-struck at the computer screens, five of them running with numbers that you could not possibly read as they went by. The main computer screen had a green bar, and white letters flashing the words "Installation complete".

"Gilbert, please position yourself in the chair. I need to get this just right in order to test it," Gilbert followed the other to the slightly uncomfortable looking chair. After he sat himself in it, he found himself getting a heavy helmet strapped on his head, feeling the other strapping wristbands around him, and flinching as it occasionally shocked him a bit. "Okay, this is kind of some nerve-wrecking shit," Gilbert laughed uneasily, and his eyes fixated themselves on the screen before his eyes.

"Now, I have your brain waves being portrayed here on my screen. If at any time they surpass the normal level of activity, I'll be sure to shut the game off. No need to worry!" Matthew stated reassuringly, and Gilbert relaxed himself, anticipating the machine to blow up at any moment. He was slipped on the headphones, and before he knew it, his vision went black.

A sudden surreal explosion of color appeared, and he watched as buildings formated, streets lined up accordingly, the sun slipped from the blue color of the sky and illuminated the nature existing around him. He looked around, and it felt as if he was awakening from a long overdue nap. His muscles ached as he stretched them in front of him, his head pounded, and his eyes blinked at the sight of a new surrounding.

He appeared to be by an abandoned alleyway, noting it to be between a flowershop and a thearter of sorts. He couldn't believe what he was seeing - it felt as though it were all real, and he had been transported into another town.

"Excuse me? I do not mean to intrude, but, are you alright?"

Gilbert hesitantly looked up at the shadow of a figure behind him. There before his eyes, a brunette man with a feminine face and violet orbs meeting his, he couldn't believe what he saw. The man had a blue coat on, a scarf bundled on his neck, and gloved fingers tapping along what could have been probably a violin case. The other had a remarkably skinny frame, with a soft, curt voice that he barely caught wind of.

"Oh, uh, I'm fine," he remembered that the other awaited an answer, and in an attempt to redeem his composure, he stumbled to his feet. He hissed as he did, his knee threatening to give out on him, but it was lucky that the other instinctively kept him up. "... you seem to be injured," the other pursed his lips in a frown.

_I apologize for that! _Matthew's voice stammered in his head, a hesitant laugh followed. _The game still have a few minor bugs. _

"I, uhm, tripped back there. On a rock." He mentally slapped himself for offering such a wimpy excuse, but the violet eyed stranger registered the situation, and spoke.

"My home is not too far from here. Perhaps you come with me and I will get you some bandages," he offered politely, "My name is Roderich Edelstein. And you are?"

Gilbert shrugged off his previous behavior, retaining his hot-headed self once more. "I'm Gilbert. Gilbert Beilschmidt," he said, smirking toothily.

"Charmed, I'm sure," Roderich replied in a mutter, "Do you live around here? I'm afraid I have not seen you before."

Gilbert stammered, "I, uh, just moved here. From, a place."

Roderich's brow furrowed only slightly, "Ah, well, that explains. I work at the thearter over there. I conduct for the local musical's orchesta." Gilbert, from first glance, could assume that he did something like that. His cleanly and prestige appearance gave off that sort of vibe.

"Awesome. So, uh, tell me. What is this place like?"

"It's a fairly nice town. The people are kind and the festivities are fun to take part in. I have met a good deal of people." Roderich's eyes glanced down at the other, and his eyes darted towards the other's injury. "Heavens, your bleeding. Let's go now," the brunette swung the other's arm around his shoulder, and helped the other limp down the sidewalk.

Once they turned the corner, a line of houses welcomed him, and they reach the most secluded one on the hill. A house would be an understatement. The building was more of a mansion in itself. Once they crossed through the almost picture-perfect front lawn's garden, Roderich fiddled with the keys and opened the door into his home. The place was perfect from head to toe. Portraits lined the halls, with a chandelier in the main room. One room was solely dedicated to the grand piano in it. This guy was sure big on music.

In the living room, Gilbert presumed it was, he was placed on a couch, and Roderich rummaged through a first aid kit for bandages. Once he found one, he lifted the other's pant leg and found his knee scraped. Once disinfected and gingerly covered up, Roderich sat down beside him, curious eyes examining the stranger.

"So, do you do this often?" Gilbert piped up suddenly after moments of silence.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Do you just randomly help random people on the streets and let them in your home?" Gilbert smirked, chuckling a bit.

"Well, you were sitting outside an alleyway with a pained look on your face," Roderich hastily explained in his defense. "Besides, you don't look like much of a harm."

"Heh. Looks can be decieving. I could have been a robber or something," Gilbert said jokingly.

"A robber? In this town, how rare it is to find one of those," Roderich mused curiously, and shook his head. "What a terrible host I am being. I haven't even asked if you wanted something to drink. What would you like?"

"Do you have any beer?" Gilbert inquired, sitting back in the couch and lifting his injured leg on the coffee table. Roderich flinched at that.

"No, I do not have possess any alchohol. I will bring you water," he stood up, "Also, please remove your dirty shoes from my freshly polished coffee table." Just as he was about to go into his kitchen, Gilbert cleared his throat.

"Uh, also, Roderich," Roderich's head turned and he blinked in question, "Thanks for helping me out."

Roderich, for the first time since their meeting, flashed a soft smile. Maybe it was only out of politeness, or out of genuine kindness. It caught Gilbert off guard. "It was my pleasure."

Suddenly, Gilbert's vision was warped, and his breathing hitched, as he felt himself back in a place he had almost forgotten existed. His helmet was lifted, and he felt somewhat dissapointed that he was back. "So, how was it?" Matthew beamed excitedly, checking over the albino's behavior on the screen.

"It was... amazing. Why did you turn it off?" Gilbert questioned, irritation detected by Matthew in his tone.

"I didn't want you to stay on it too long," he responded, a bit put off by the other's annoyance. "I was going over your gameplay and wasn't aware of one of the character's malfunctions. I need to reset the data for it," he said.

"What character?"

"The Roderich character."

Gilbert almost jumped at that, and shook his head. "No! There's nothing wrong with him!" He caught himself in the midst of paniking, and quickly retained his composure. "Just leave it alone, I liked poking fun at him. And he was... out of the ordinary. In a good way."

"Gilbert, it's a computer generated set of numbers, not an actual person we're talking about here."

"What's the harm in letting him be there though?" Gilbert retorted, "He's really interesting. Maybe a little too prissy but that's about it."

Matthew furrowed his brow, fingers tapping quickly on the keyboard to bring up a set of numbers. "The computer must have messed up and added extra to him. The characters in the game are supposed to have a certain range of emotions, as to keep the game balanced and all. This one seems to have more though."

"It's not an issue though, right? It just makes him more interesting to have in the game," Gilbert hoped his defenses were working for Roderich's favor, and Matthew eventually gave up. "Well, the game's database seems to be balancing correctly, so I'll keep it."

Gilbert smirked, and got up from the chair, grabbing his things. "That game was great. Can I come back tomorrow?"

Matthew seemed astounded in the other's fascination towards it, but nodded his head. "O-Of course! I need to keep collecting information on it, so that'd be great!"

Gilbert smirked, and said his goodbyes as he exited the home. _Roderich Edelstein... _The name kept running through his head, and he felt the anticipation for tomorrow brewing inside him. _I can't wait to find out more about the mysterious music man. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter! Thank you for the kind reviews. Please keep them coming! They mean a lot. Sorry for the delay, my keyboard was acting up on me. Anywho… enjoy!**

Due to untimely circumstances, Gilbert was unable to come back the next day. Matthew had scolded him plenty on the long term effects the game had, such as addiction, insomnia, migraines, loss of sight, all of which never took place post-gameplay. Matthew continued to go on about the law suits that could be filed against him, and Gilbert finally agreed to wait a week until he flew back. Ludwig hadn't touched the subject of his experience, more or less consumed in his own work, maybe even doubtful of what was going on. Nevertheless, Gilbert was reluctant to elaborate on his experience to the public. Probably because no one took him seriously.

One night, Ludwig brought home his fiancé, Feliciano, for dinner, to celebrate Ludwig's promotion with his job. He had been stressing the importance of him getting a partner in the firm of his work, and how their financial problems would be patched up if it happened. Gilbert secretly hoped this would let him loosen up a bit. He wasn't mentally capable to deal with one of his brother's unfortunate anxiety attacks.

A week soared by, and Gilbert missed it from being too absorbed in anticipation. He had implored Matthew to be generous with the time he had in the game. Matthew, with Gilbert's prize-worthy persuasion skills, allowed him an hour, but also saying how time moves quickly in the game, so that was two whole days. On the day of his flight, he practically skipped to the door with a suitcase in hand, but was stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Ludwig sitting at the table, palm pressed against his forehead and the other hand clasping what looked like this month's rent. His finger nails dug into the stationary, threatening to put a few rips in it. Gilbert examined his younger brother wearily, frowning.

"Luddy?"

"Hm? I'm fine, brother." Ludwig had to fight to get the words out, but he hoped his older brother wouldn't notice him slipping.

"You don't have to push yourself, Ludwig," Gilbert's expression was swept off his face and replaced with what could be called a mix of pity and empathy.

"I'm not. The rent was just raised this month due to extra spending. I'll take care of it, you go," Ludwig threw on a calm and relaxed façade, pushing the papers away with a sigh.

"E-Eheh~ I know you can do it! Kesese~ See you this weekend, Luddy~"

Gilbert swore he could hear his brother curse under the panting of his breath.

The flight was almost unbelievably long, with the help of a delay that was caused while he was waiting. Matthew texted him beforehand of how the game was set up, and all it needed now was a player. Gilbert drove through the drizzling town of Toronto, finally arriving at his destination. After brief catch up conversations on subjects Gilbert couldn't care less about (How was the flight? Are you hungry?), Matthew settled his "testing mouse" on the chair, reminding Gilbert of the correlation between the game's time and his own. A half an hour in our time equaled one day in the game. An hour being two days. Matthew brushed it aside, saying he'd leave out the nerdy details.

"You will be a little ahead of the time you left off in, but not much. I toggled with it to make it as if you never left, so any characters you encountered will have no record of your absence," Matthew's eyes took notes of Gilbert's anticipating glances, just to make sure he wasn't showing signs of the side effects.

Within seconds, the scenery was warped, his breath escalated as before, with new sights and smells invading the senses. The darkness finally cleared, and he found himself in the dining room of a familiar friend.

"Gilbert? Are you okay?"

The fork hit the steak in front of the man, as he gingerly cut a bite-sized piece of it to eat. He reached over to grasp the hand of - who else? - him. His hand was soft, and slender. Gilbert peeked up to see his face. A refreshing sight he had waited a week - a long and dragged seven days - to see. "You have not touched your dinner," the prestige man let his teeth graze softly on his lower lip, mostly from worry.

"Sorry," the guest of the house stammered, breaking his gaze from the man to the food. He picked up his fork and stabbed the steak, picking the thing up and taking half the steak in his mouth, nearly engulfing the food whole. Roderich couldn't help but audibly scoff in disgust, but brushed it off in hopes of not pushing the other away with unnecessary manner lessons. He shook his head, sighing. "Gilbert, if you are to dine with a woman you hope to impress someday, it is not attractive to act barbaric with your food," he stated almost matter-of-factly, to which Gilbert rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly. "What would you know about picking up chicks, Mr. flamboyantly dressed piano player? I'll have you know, the ladies love me."

Roderich had no time to argue with the other male about his self-proclaimed career in winning over women. He reached over, one hand snaking around the other and clasping his hand, the other gently pressing on his other. He picked up a fork and knife, and placed it in his grasps. Gilbert, caught off guard by the other's almost nonexistent hesitation, felt his breath shorten.

"Use the fork to grab the food. Use the knife to cut a piece that will fit in your mouth and not take refuge in your teeth," he proceeded the practice, all the while Gilbert averting his gaze while keeping a somewhat calm face. After Roderich's lesson in proper table manners, dinner went by quietly, until the brunette piped up.

"Where do you live, Gilbert?" he asked curiously.

"Um. My, uh, brother has a place, but he's out of town for the week."

"You live with your brother?"

"Yeah, younger brother. Just us. He's helping me out while I get through college."

"What is your brother like, Gilbert?"

"Nit-picky. Overbearing at times. Serious. But… he means well. He works a lot to support us. He has been going through a lot though…" Gilbert recalled his brother's last incident, where he had trouble breathing, fumbling over his words, and the sight scared him. "He's been under a lot of stress."

After minutes of uninterrupted silence that almost stung to sit under, Roderich spoke calmly, "Would you like to stay here, for a while? Until your brother comes back, I mean."

It was out of the blue, catching them both by surprise. Roderich barely could stand company around his house, but never opposed out of his polite exterior. But he only had Elizabeta come around once a week for lunch and a run down of her new, extravagant life with her new, extravagant husband of five months. Maybe some change of routine would take his mind off of her recent announcement of bearing the man's child.

"Um, sure! Kesese~ That'd be cool," Gilbert replied, internally wondering what would drive the man to offer something so generously unhead of.

After dinner and a fabulous dessert as prepared by Roderich's expertise skills in the kitchen, Roderich showed his guest to his room, apologizing for the dust from the room being vacant so long. Gilbert settled himself in the bed, Roderich saying how they would go out for breakfast in the morning. Gilbert laid down, taking a moment to explore his senses in awe of how divine the game turned out to be. He felt the silky bed sheets, inhaled the sweet and fruity smell there was around him, and tasted the apple strudel he just ate. How he wished to live here forever.

In the morning, Gilbert woke up precisely at 8:30. He waited until 8:36 to finally get up and stretch his legs. It didn't feel like he slept at all, but he didn't question it. He traveled downstairs, peeking into the rooms he passed on his way. There was Roderich's bedroom on the right, he presumed from the queen sized bed and the portrait of him and some woman hanging above. He was smiling as he embraced the child in front of him, with one hand slung around a slender yet muscular female with a dress patched up and dirt stained on the hem. He was smiling alright, as anyone could observe. But something struck the male that the smile possessed nothing behind it, no emotion. Simply a politically-correct smile.

The bed was vacant of his host, covers tucked down without a sign of previous life. He pursed his lips, and ventured towards the remaining rooms. In one, however, he spotted the lifting and descending of a blanket on a couch, with a crooked pair of glasses hanging off of the table. He walked inside to find the other man still not awoken. He had light circles under his eyes, so he assumed he was up late. He was in the music room, the piano next to him with a range of instruments up against the wall. Roderich stirred in his sleep, and the albino prayed he wouldn't awake to him watching over him. The music man simply turned to his side, facing away from the couch. His lips parted slightly, and his usually product-consumed hair a mess. Gilbert watched as the other furrowed his brow, and finally cracked his eyes open.

"Oh…" he whispered as he caught sight of his guest, "Good morning. I must have fallen asleep here last night. Were you waiting long?"

"No, no…," Gilbert spoke, still remembering the other's almost unreal state of sleeping so calmly for being so fussy. "I mean, well. Kind of. I'm starving."

"Pardon my manners then… Get dressed quickly. We will go somewhere to eat," Roderich blindly touched around for his glasses, grabbing them and slipping them on. Gilbert took off to change his attire, his wardrobe limited, but he slipped on something slightly favorable. The two of them were out of the house in a half an hour, Roderich demanding the other wait for him to get properly ready.

They went to a small café, not very busy and only hosting a few couple of people, all of which absorbed on their laptops. Roderich paid for their meal, and they found a table outside to sit at. They sat in silence until Gilbert decided to speak. "What do you do playing at a theater? Do you act? Let me guess, you're Cinderella, right?" Gilbert found his joke hysterical, and proceeded to entertain himself with demeaning jokes until Roderich retorted.

"No, Gilbert," he spoke dryly, "I am a pianist for the musicals they have there. On occasions I play violin and cello. Others, I conduct. In fact, this upcoming couple of days I am playing a solo piece for their production of Swan Lake. If you have no plans, I am inquiring if you might… want to…"

"Be your date?" Gilbert leaned in, snickering to himself, his eyes casting a mischievous gaze of intent Roderich was not unaware of. "To rephrase in a less crude manner…!" Roderich exclaimed, "I was wondering if you would be my companion of the night. The theater hosts an after party after the show, and everyone brings someone of sorts with them. Before, I would take my wife, but she… has another companion now."

Roderich sighed, shaking his head. Gilbert smirked, and replied in a somewhat mocking manner, similar to Roderich's way of speaking, "Yes, Roderich, I'll be your… "companion" for the evening."

Roderich rolled his eyes, then smiled softly and nodded. Gilbert nodded as well and started to cough, muttering in the word "date" while he did so. They both ate their meal, and it wasn't long until reality called for his attention back, and before the evening was out, Gilbert looked around in alert to the house of Matthew.

"Game play is over for today. An hour, as promised," Matthew unhooked the gear from his friend, and looked him over. "Why are you smiling?"

Not having noticed his smile, he wiped it off quickly to avoid unnecessary confrontation of his exploration in the game. Matthew let him stay in the guest room, offering an hour tomorrow as well, to see how well he could handle the time of game play, on a mental aspect.

Matthew then stopped in the doorway of the guest bedroom, looking back at the other and smiling. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow… I have a surprise."


End file.
